Crown of Scars
by Jyuulii
Summary: Songfic; "Crown of Scars", by Lifehouse. Squall waits for Rinoa in their field of flowers, a few years after Ultimecia...


_forget about the fight to wear the crown of scars_
    
    _cause you've already won_

Squall lay sprawled in the field, lanky form stretched out in the grass. It was almost sunset, and though the sun was still out, the light was starting to fade. Eyes closed, one hand resting on his stomach, the other was at his forehead, fingers tracing the line of the deep scar found there.
    
    _forget the pain and leave the tears_
    
    _behind you_

Dark blue eyes flickering open, his hand dropped from the mark and returned to his side.

_bury underneath your feet the remains_

_of what's been left behind_

_cause you have got a long, long way to run_

He watched the sky and its wandering clouds for a moment, before finally clambering to his feet and dusting off his clothes. His gaze roamed the field one last time. 

**an hour. i guess she's not coming.**

The SeeD general turned, and taking a deep breath, set off for the path leading back to the orphanage. His head lowered, all he could see were the deepening shadows hiding between each tall blade of grass.

Soon, a vague, unsettled feeling prompted him to look up… and there she stood. 

_but now you dance the rest of the way_

_and you don't look back_

Now he ran, tearing through the darkening field. His foot would occasionally catch on a stone of some kind, but he simply stumbled heedlessly over it and continued. 

_can you hear that angel singing_

_as you rise_

"Squall! I--"

He reached her, and before she could finish, immediately hugged her to him, stifling all words.
    
    _now you fly away_
    
    _and you don't look down now_

Rinoa clung back, cheek resting against his chest.  "I'm really sorry… I didn't mean to be late. The instructor was being such an ass, and I just couldn't get out of—"
    
    _and you laugh 'til you can't laugh any longer_
    
    _as you watch your chains fall to the ground_

He laughed, chest rumbling with the sound, and she felt it, and wondered.

"… You're not mad?"
    
    _will you fall against the wall that you have built with your own hands,_
    
    _when you trip upon the thorns that you have tied your legs together with_
    
    He fumbled trying to find the words. They didn't come easily.
    
    "Of course I'm not mad. But I was… worried. I thought you might have left me here."
    
    She lifted her face, and peered at his. To her shock, she saw actual pain registered in his features.
    
    _when you walk upon thin ice that you know you should not be walking_
    
    _why do you wonder that you fell through_
    
    … Slow realization crept over her. To her, she had just lost one simple hour. But to Squall, it was an hour of feeling abandoned and unwanted.
    
    The lionhearted one didn't have very many weaknesses. But this was one of them.
    
    "Squall… I'm sorry…"
    
    "Don't apologize. There's nothing to be sorry for."
    
    _now you fly away_
    
    _and you don't look down now_
    
    _and you laugh 'til you can't laugh any longer_
    
    _as you watch your chains fall to the ground_
    
    She leaned up onto her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, enveloping him into a hug anyway. All these years, she had taught him to trust others, and to believe in them. This was just a small letdown, but it still mattered to him. To her. To both of them.
    
    _i__ know you laugh and show tears_
    
    _smile down at your fears from where you are_
    
    She slid down again, releasing him from her embrace.
    
    "You know, no one would ever believe me if I told them that you're actually very vulnerable."
    
    A light-hearted smile managed to flicker across his lips.  "I'm not vulnerable, Rinoa."  
    
      
    
    
    
    "Admit it – you _are_."
    
    And now he laughed, and she knew that all was well.
    
    _from way up here_
    
    _you know nothing's ever looked so good_
    
    They began walking now, following the path to the orphanage. Evening was almost upon them now – the last rays of sunlight had almost fled, leaving behind a nighttime sky filled with bright stars.
    
    Soon, their steps carried them to the beach, and they slipped across the heaving sand together. 
    
    _but now you dance the rest of the way_
    
    _you don't look back_
    
    Rinoa tried to speed up, and instead lost her balance, dragging Squall with her. They both tumbled to the sand.
    
    _can you hear that angel singing_
    
    _as you rise_
    
    The moment that they lay there seemed endless.
    
    She laughed then, staring up into the pristine sky. Her voice carried across the empty beach – the crashing of the waves were the only other sounds on this empty island.
    
    Slowly climbing back up, he reached out a hand to her.
    
    _and you fly away_
    
    _and you don't look down now_
    
    She lurched back to her feet, and they resumed their walk at a more leisurely pace. Squall's face had a quiet, contented look to it, and his hand remained in hers.
    
    _and you laugh 'til you can't laugh any longer_
    
    _as you watch your chains fall to the ground_
    
    "Squall…"
    
    His face turned to look at her, and he found that she was smiling. She murmured the all-familiar words.
    
    "If you come here…"
    
    Another satisfied laugh ran through him, and his grip tightened.
    
    "You'll find me."
    
    "I promise. I'm sorry I was late this time, but I promise."
    
    With that, she came to an abrupt stop.
    
    No one really knew what Squall Leonhart went through after Ultimecia's death. He didn't tell anyone of what he had seen, wandering through time.
    
    Rinoa had found him afterwards – but that was all. It was just a stroke of luck that he was standing here tonight.
    
    **He might have died.**
    
    "Squall… I…"
    
    She tried to put all of her thoughts into words, but it was hopeless. After sifting through all of them, there was only one that remained.
    
    "I love you."
    
    Tentatively, his hand came around and tipped her chin upwards.
    
    Leaning over, he kissed her ever so gently.
    
    _and you fly away,_
    
    _and you don't look down now…_
    
    _and you laugh 'til you can't laugh any longer_
    
    _as you watch your chains fall to the ground…_


End file.
